Patricia Mae Cottrell

Patricia M. Cottrell, 84, died Sunday, October 18, 2020 in River Pointe memory care, Moorhead, MN.

Patricia Mae Goddard was born on May 29^th, 1936, in Aldrich, MN to Harold and Jennie (Wassink) Goddard.  She attended District 4 and graduated from Verndale High School.  She started her career with the phone company in Wadena, MN.  Pat married her high school sweetheart Allen Cottrell on April 24, 1956.  They moved to Fargo where she worked at NW Bell Telephone as an operator and later as an investigator.  She made many wonderful lifelong friends over her 30 years of employment at the phone company.

Even as a full-time working mom Pat was dedicated to her family.  She could be counted on to attend her children’s conferences, concerts and sporting events.  Most weekends were reserved for making beautiful memories at the cabin on Turtle Lake with her husband, children, extended family and later grandkids and great-grandkids.

After her retirement she found new ways to stay active by traveling around the country, camping and snowmobiling with the love of her life, and their friends and grown siblings.  Pat was an organizer extraordinaire hosting family dinners, parties, reunions and showers whenever she could find a reason.

Everyone knew if they stopped to see Pat and Al there would be coffee and fresh baked goods and shortly after, a delicious meal, a good visit and long goodbyes.  She was a dedicated member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, a feisty Union member, and a Telephone Company Pioneer.

Pat was a loving wife and mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  She used her abundant energy to make sure everyone was warm, fed, safe, clean and having fun.  She will be remembered for her quick wit and her servant’s heart.

Her parents and siblings, Evelyn, Jean, Donald, Douglas, Francis, Clinton and Sam, welcomed her into heaven.

Pat is survived by her husband of 64 years, Allen, of Moorhead.  Her memory will continue to live on through her daughter, Kim (Perry) Bushaw, Hawley and son Mark (Pam), Dilworth.  Grandchildren, Andrew (Jamie Holding Eagle) Bushaw, Moorhead, Mallory (Andy) Gregor, Wahpeton, Brandi Juntunen, Dilworth, Melissa Beauchamp, Nevada and 11 great-grandchildren.  Sisters, Lou Harne, Paulette Plautz, both MN, brother Jim Goddard, MO and many amazing nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, October 22, 2020, at 10:00 A.M., with visitation from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M., at Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead. We strongly encourage people to watch a livestream of the service beginning at 10:00 Thursday on Pat’s page at www.wrightfuneral.com, due to COVID-19 restrictions.  Burial will take place following the service at Green Lawn Cemetery in Verndale, MN.

Memorials may be directed to St. Judes Children’s Hospital or Hospice of the Red River Valley.